Contact us whenever you need it!  +1 855 997 0206Contact hours: Mon-Fri 8am - 10pm ET

Free North Dakota Rental Application Form

Prepare a printable North Dakota rental application form to help you vet prospective tenants for your property. Customize your screening document with easy instructions and professional templates.

update icon

Last Update May 20th, 2023

productPreview
create

Fill forms in a few steps

save icon

Save, print, and download

ready icon

Done in 5 minutes

What Is a North Dakota Residential Rental Application

A North Dakota rental application is a legal document used by landlords and property managers to assess and choose an appropriate tenant for a rental property. They are sometimes known by other common names, such as:

  • Tenant applications 

  • Rental lease applications

  • Lease applications

  • Applications for a rental property

Having a rental application can prove highly important to make sure you get the right tenant into your property. The process of screening prospective residents in this way allows you to discover any issues such as their inability to pay rent or the likelihood to cause a nuisance before signing a contract.

North Dakota Rental Applications by Type

There are two main types of rental applications in North Dakota. You must select the most relevant one depending on the type of property being rented, local laws, and the type of leasing agreement that will be used. 

Standard/General North Dakota Rental Application

The most common type of vetting document used by ND landlords is the North DakotaStandard Rental Application. This form can be customized according to the specific necessities of the property owner or manager. 

Department of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) Rental Application

Landlords of low-income tenants or those offering Section 8 Housing should use a HUD rental application. It is specifically designed to only include information that is allowed under subsidized housing rules.

What to Include in a North Dakota Rental Application Form

It is important to request the right data from a tenant when asking them to fill in an ND rental application and to make sure they are properly informed about the contract. This will be essential to make sure you get the right tenant into your property.

Almost all application forms for rental properties request some or all of the following information:

  • Personal data

  • Rental history

  • Employment details

  • Income information

  • Credit history

  • Personal references

  • Permission for background checks

Additionally, landlords must provide vital disclosures to ensure that potential residents can safely use the property. They must provide details about:

  • The property’s condition

  • Potential hazards to the tenant

  • Shared utility arrangements

  • Rent control rules

  • Smoking policy

  • The security deposit

  • Associated fees

North Dakota Rental Application Laws

North Dakota has many rules and statutes regulating its housing market. These must be fully considered when preparing an application for rental properties in the state. 

Application Fee

You can charge as much as you wish as a rental application fee. There are no laws in North Dakota providing a set limit, although it is recommended to only charge enough to cover the costs of any background checks. Any amount charged to the tenant is also non-refundable. 

Security Deposit

Landlords cannot charge more than 1 months’ rent if they are leasing an apartment under North Dakota law. However, landlords can charge up to 2 months’ rent or $2,500 (whichever is less) if the applicant has pets (§ 47-16-07.1). 

Housing Discrimination Law

In North Dakota, there is no specific state law relating to housing discrimination. However, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) is in place. The FHA states that it is illegal to discriminate based on the following characteristics: 

  • Race

  • Nationality

  • Religion

  • Sex

  • Familial status

  • Disability

  • Criminal history

As a consequence, you are not allowed to ask for any of these details on an ND Rental Application form, nor to include them in the decision-making process. However, in North Dakota, certain exemptions from fair housing laws exist. These are as follows:

  • Sex/sexual orientation: laws relating to discrimination against sex or sexual orientation do not apply to single-family residences where the owner is an occupant and will share a common area with the tenants.

  • Housing for older persons: it is allowed to ask for an applicant’s age for age-restricted communities (such as senior housing).

  • Familial status: landlords may ask whether children will occupy the premises for two-family owner-occupied buildings.

  • Private clubs: clubs that do not operate publicly and do not rent for commercial purposes can give preference to certain applicants.

  • Religious organizations: religion can be used as a basis for giving priority to certain applicants for properties that are owned or managed by a religious organization that does not rent with commercial intent.

  • Mrs. Murphy exemption: dwellings with four units or fewer, in which one unit is occupied by the owner, and where the landlord is not represented by a real estate agent, are exempt from fair housing requirements.

Notice of Eligibility

You must disclose the screening criteria used during the application process, as well as anything that could lead to a refusal. To make sure individuals understand this in advance of the application, they must provide a signature of acknowledgment on the application. 

Consent Credit Check

The Federal Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) stipulates that potential tenants must agree to any credit checks you require. To show they consent, they must provide written acknowledgment on the application form.

North Dakota Rental Application Sample

Looking over a readily prepared template of a rental application can make it much easier to create your own. Review our document sample below to get more familiar with what your application form will look like when it’s completed.

view preview icon
preview

Other Real Estate Documents

There are various other legal documents that landlords must take into account when considering new tenants. Get expert guidance on preparing other personalized property forms with our other free printable templates for the following legal forms: 

Residential Lease Agreement

A North Dakota Residential Lease Agreement outlines the terms and conditions of a tenancy in a residential rental property. It establishes the rights and duties of both the renter and the landlord.

Eviction Notice

When a tenant is in violation of their lease agreement, an ND Eviction Notice must be used to inform them of the breach.

FAQs About North Dakota Rental Application Form

Understanding what your North Dakota rental application can and cannot do is vital before you create your own from scratch. Find out more about how these screening documents work and what you need to know when writing them.

What Are Credit References on a North Dakota Rental Application?

A credit reference is a document that provides information on the credit history of an applicant for a rental property. This may be requested on North Dakota rental applications so that landlords can properly assess whether a potential tenant will be able to meet the rental payment schedule.

What Cannot Be Asked on Rental Applications in North Dakota?

You cannot ask tenants a number of questions when you are vetting them with an ND rental application document. You must not request any information from the applicant regarding their race or ethnicity, religion, sexuality, immigration or citizenship status, arrest records, marital or familial status, and whether they have children or not.

Do I Need to Ask for a Social Security Number in a North Dakota Rental Application?

It is not usually necessary to request a Social Security number (SSN) on a North Dakota rental application. However, you may consider requesting this data from an applicant if you want to run certain background checks on them.

Additionally, you must always get written permission from the tenant on the application form if you want to use their SSN. When you handle someone else’s Social Security information you always need consent first and must disclose that you will properly handle this data. 

These days, most screening companies can obtain the applicant’s SSN directly by requesting it securely from the applicant via email. Remember, however, that you must always inform the potential tenant and have their permission before you run any background checks.

Try LawDistrict Now

Instant and complete access to our entire library of legal forms

Edit, download and print in PDF and Word format from any device

Save time and money on legal document creation